The long term profitability of a commercial enterprise depends critically on the level of service it provides to its customers and the customer loyalty that the organization is able to command. Quality of customer service and customer loyalty are, in turn, highly dependent on the job performance of the organization's employees. Further, the level of employees' job performance is, to a great extent, a function of the quality of the work environment provided to the employees by the organization.
It is not unusual for an organization to take surveys of its employees' attitudes toward the organization, and to express an intention that the organization be a good place to work. However, conventional approaches to improving an organization's work environment have been complicated and indirect and not necessarily very effective. The present inventors have recognized a need for a relatively simple and straightforward mechanism for holding managers accountable for the work environment in their departments.